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Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum said Thursday that he's "proud" of the money he brought back to his state by way of earmarks, rebuffing new attacks by Texas Gov. Rick Perry.
Santorum said that if he were elected president, he would oppose earmarks -- the process by which a lawmaker directs spending to a particular project -- because Congress had placed a temporary moratorium on the practice.
But he didn't back down from new attacks this morning by Perry, who labeled the surging Santorum a "prolific earmarker," and launched a radio ad, to boot, echoing that charge.
"If you look at the Constitution, the Constitution gives the power of the purse to Congress; the Congress is the one that's supposed to spend the money," Santorum said on Fox News. "So the idea that earmarks is somehow against the Constitution or something that is illicit, that the congressman can or shouldn't do is simply, factually incorrect."
He was pressed as to whether the practice should still be encouraged, even if it weren't illegal, because of the public's perception that earmarking contributes to corruption in Washington.
"I’ve defended my earmarks in the sense that I'm proud of the money that I did set aside for things that were priorities in my state instead of having bureaucrats do that," Santorum said. "But I've recognized that the American public have sort of seen this as a pox upon the congress and that's where the American public is today and as a president, it's sort of easy for me to say I'll oppose congressional earmarks."
The practice of earmarking had long drawn the ire of reform-minded conservatives in Washington, which contributed to House and Senate lawmakers approving a moratorium -- of a limited length -- in late 2010.
But the moratorium came over the objections of some old-guard Republicans, including a series of noted conservatives, who cited a similar fear that banning earmarks would essentially cede spending authority to the president.
Perry's bet is that he can stoke anger among the conservative base toward Santorum on the issue of earmarks, in keeping with his broader theme of congressional reform (calling for a part-time Congress, reduced pay for lawmakers, and a ban on insider trading).
Whether the attack will work in the limited time frame before the Jan. 3 caucuses in Iowa, where the state's veteran GOP Sen. Charles Grassley had long been a proponent of earmarks, is another story. Santorum's seen his polling numbers rise in recent days, leading to greater scrutiny from his opponents.
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Dear Mark and Domenico:
Is there any hope that some of these clowns will drop out if they don't do well in Iowa? Some of this nonsense is getting to be awfully difficult to read or listen to.
Though the bright note is that Bachmann says she is an Iowan now, and does not claim MN. While I am sorry for my friend Jody that SHE gets to be embarrassed by her, I am decidedly relieved for Minnesotans.
20008 Democrat Presidential candidates going into the first primary (From Wikipedia):
Barack Obama
Joe Biden
Hillary Clinton
Chris Dodd
John Edwards
Mike Gravel
Dennis Kucinich
Bill Richardson
Dropped out prior to Primary:
Evan Byah
Tom Vilsack
Do you guys choose to simply ignore history or are you really that uninformed?
Of course some of thes folks will drop out. They will run out of money. It's actually a pretty simple concept NDD.
Oh darn! I keep forgetting that people like WCA lack a sense of irony and humor.
Yes, of course, WCA...your name is Domenico or Mark, and you are the ONLY person in the free world who knows that people drop out of Presidential races.
So, elucidate, oh all knowing one...who will it be?
BTW NDD if this is so difficult to read or listen to, I suggest you try another source of information as First Read has pretty well put a stake in the ground that this site is going to dedicate itself to trying to degrade the Republican candidates throughout this process.
Although, sadly, I doubt you will.
Isn't it interesting, WCA, that when you get called out on the nonsense you spout that you immediately change the subject to a personal attack?
I have no problem with the subjects that FR covers...it seems that you do. So the objective observer of the goings on here must question why you read this site at all.
Add to that, you seem quite cranky. I would imagine that Santa put coal in your sock.
From the sound of him, it wasn't his stocking Santa stuffed the coal up! ;o)
Funny, Feisty! But, boy poor WCA seems to have his knickers in a knot.
NDD point to where I said I had a problem with what First Read Covers? You are the one that is tired of reading it hence your apparent dissatisfaction.
Please also point out a personal attack.
I had a great Christmas, thanks and I hope you did too.
Quit stalking me Feisty.
Here are just a couple of recent WCA with coal up his butt greatest hits;
Would you like some more little buddy?
Do you people even remember what you ate for breakfast?
SHEESH!
Remarkable, isn't it Feisty? I keep wondering when people like WCA will become embarrassed by their own hypocrisy.
Feisty, you need to get a life.
Commenting on the bias coverage of First Read is not the same as saying "I am tired of reading them" as your pal NDD did.
Really, you took the time to go to my page, sort through all my comments, pull these out and paste them, one by one in a reply?
Save yourself the trouble Feisty, I know there are more. I was just rying to help Mark and Domenico out.
Surely you have noted that the comments here heve diminished. Even a lot of your friends have stopped posting here. Same old, same old every day and yes it get's boring.
This site is headed into oblivion and it's a shame, cause it use to be pretty good.
I keep checking in hoping FR will realize there downward spiral, but so far, just more and more of the same.
So go ahead Feisty, if you have nothing better to do, pore through my comments. I haven't hidden them as you have (according to several posters here), and have some fun. Pretty pathetic though.
White Collar Auto
"...First Read has pretty well put a stake in the ground that this site is going to dedicate itself to trying to degrade the Republican candidates throughout this process."
All First Read has to do is report, verbatim, what these people say. The Republican candidates are doing a fine job of degrading themselves. Why else are conservatives hoping that someone not currently in the mix can come and pull this out?
Settle down there little guy - don't need you stroking out!
I'll go real s l o w and break it down for you...
You asked;
Are you following along with me so far?
I answered;
You are welcome to leave at any time if you find it so miserable here. It's not line anyone misses right wing serial liars!
Now continue on with your blathering, I haven't laughed this hard in days! ;o))
PS: This isn't the first time you've played the PROVE IT card with NDD, I didn't have enough time to spank you the last time!
But you count on me not letting you get away with your BS in the future!
It really seems that the Republicans are doing a good enough job of degrading themselves that we can just sit back and watch.
"Hookers and Heroin for Everyone Ron Paul 2012"
"This isn't the first time you've played the prove it card"
Yep. He always loses. I think that is what drives this.
vwterry: where can I sign up for some of that ? (not the heroin LOL)
White Collar Auto you shouldn't rely on Wikipedia. Evan Byah did not drop out of the 2008 presidential race, he never gotinto the race. He considered it, much like Mitch Daniels, Chris Christy, etc, but decided not to get in. Governor Vilsack dropped out in very early February 2007, because of his inability to race funds. I don't know when Kucinich or Gravel dropped out, but like Huntsman they were not in many of the debates. Gravel after his crazy NH performance in September 2007, and Kucinich (and prior to Sept. Gravel) was excluded from certain debates which required an organization (at least one office in the state). After Iowa Obama, Edwards, Clinton and Richardson went on to NH. Richardson should have dropped out given his single digit performance in Iowa. Richardson dropped out after NH. And if memory, not Wikipedia, serves me right Edwards essentially dropped out after SC.
WhiteCollar...
Do you really take Fiesty serious enough to even bother responding to her hatred and anger. If you read her posts, that's all she does, attack, slander and lie. Let her have their fun, it's all she's got.
The left is going to attack hard. Obama has failed, and they know it, but cannot accept it, nor will they ever admit it. They'll use lies, attacks and deceit to discredit anyone on the other side of the line. That is their nature. You never made one personal comment, but that's all they return in response. Why? They can't refute facts, so the go for the jugular.
Remember, if you disagree with a liberal, you are their enemy. It's only wrong if a Republican does it. You know the truth, they can't handle the truth. I got a bunch more, but I'm sure you understand this :)
And it does seem she's stalking you. That's weird...
NObama 2012!
Says the delusional to the deluded.
Feisty gets paid for these comments, and cause people to get frustrated and argue on line.
wtfwwus- I don't know how many liberal friends you have, but I've very liberal, and have many conservative (social and economic friends). Not only do I maintain strong friendships with friends who I disagree with 99% of the time politically, I've never met a fellow liberal democrat who limits his friends, or casts away long time friendships, because they disagree politically. I believe you are projecting!
So Santorum was an earmark champion. Very few, if any, in Congress didn't participate in ear marking. Rick Perry would have done the same thing had he been in Congress. If he says he wouldn't have he would be lying again.
If you want to know where much of our budget went look no farther than earmarks. Bridges to nowhere, roads that go into the boonies, anything and everything to bring money to one's district. That is how they bribe voters to reelect their usless selves. (Yes both parties are guilty)
Rick should talk - he cut his fire fighters budgets and then goes begging to the feds for help....wonder how he will feel when the defense dept starts closing all those Texas bases.....
The sad thing is we have months of all these yahoos bashing each other.....and then months of them telling us wot a great candidate they have....talk about flippers and floppers....
Well, duh!
My earmarks are great but if you want something it's "WASTE"!
Happy to, WCA:
do you guys simply choose to ignore history or are you really that uninformed?....It's actually a pretty simple concept, NDD. post 1.1
Although, sadly, I doubt that you will. post 1.3.
There you have it. You may apologize. And really, Feisty stalking you? Get over yourself!
Wow, you think that was a personal attack? Apparently you don't read your friends posts here or understand generalizations.
Again, you said you were tired of reading FR's stories, not me.
So typical of a right winger. Way to try to obfuscate WCA. I actually think you are hanging out too much with no jo.
Now. Reading is fundamental, so let's see if you can go back and parse what was said.
Go to post 1 and quote exactly where I said that I was tired of reading FR stories.
And...you still owe an apology. That is, if you have a moral core.
Hang tight NDD & check out my comment #1.9!
One thing is guaranteed, WCA will NEVER extend an apology, only double down on his bull@!$%#!
Here's another 'gem' from him;
White Collar Auto
Stalking is for trolls Feisty.
Are you a troll?
Nope!
Just someone who enjoys making an ass out of you - like shooting fish in a barrel, little buddy! ;o)
And he is STILL squirming, Feisty!
Squirming? Nah.
Laughing at how hard you all are working to try to spin my first comment?
Hell yeah.
You all have gone so far off the reservation that it's really funny (and sad).
Now he's moved on to stage (2)...
Frantically trying to 'save face'!!! lmfao!
Even when confronted with his own words, he continues to deny, deny, deny!
Want some *popcorn* NDD?
Love some, Feisty, just back in from playing with Sey. Poor WCA. No chops.
Bacon is money I bring to my state. Pork is money that goes to your state! Sheesh. There's egg on BOTH of Santorum's faces!
Just another in a long line of right wing hypocrisy --- earmarks are bad -- except in my district. and Rick -- you seldom missed a chance to line up for federal money so you're in the hypocrite classification also.
Anyone bother to question my illustrious Governor Tricky Ricky Perry about how much money he has bilked the federal government for since he has been Governor? Hell, the Bailout saved the state budget the past couple of years, paid for some new highways and tollroads, even some schools, of course right before he cut education by $4 Billion.. Rick is a fine one to point fingers at anyone.
I just love GOP catfight...
Santorium is too sane no fun to talk about...we need another article on one of crazies, Ricky Perry hasn't been in the news lately, he's a laugh a minute..
Can it get any better then this... maybe carmel corn for todays circus!
Straight Dem Ticket 2012. First time ever.
Aldo Santorum, Rick Santorum's father was a US Army Veteran of WWII who after attaining a degree in Psychology decided to devote himself to helping his fellow Vets.
Rick Santorum on the other hand got himself a couple of legal degrees from Pen State and the Dickinson School of Law. After which as a lawyer for a firm ran off the Washington where he ""consulted"" various companies and businesses on ""strategic"" matters.
For reasons of his own he decided he would be better served by becoming a member of Congress. Through which he funneled... I mean earmarked government funds; supposedly for public projects; that somehow also happen to have been awarded to companies his old firm once represented.
At any rate that's a whole different story.. this one has more to do with a guy that has never served a day in his life e.g. has no idea what putting your own life on the line means.
Yet he is willing to commit today's children to tomorrows wars.
It's so much fun, watching these politicians go after one another hammer and tongs while they're trying to get the nomination...and then playing nicey-nice once the nomination is made. This goes for Dems as well as Repubs.
This just tells me than none of them believe the crap that comes out of their mouths.
Why is it that when I watch Sanitorioum, I see Howdy Doody?
Well... Rick might have been proud.. but the people of the state sure were not... they booted him out BIG TIME.... another religious wacko..... But then to be GOP you sort of have to be to appeal to your base... you know.. the guns, anti abortion, anti gays... you name it and the word anti comes up very easily... to bad they are not "for" something....
Another lying, corrupt politician. I know they exist on both sides, but the current Republican field seems to be a bumper crop.